The Passing of Kreacher
by SocialGraceful
Summary: Kreacher reaches the end of his life and Harry takes it hard


"Master Potter, you don't have to," Kreacher said as he was lowered into the water.

"Hush, hush, hush," Harry said.

He began to move the wizened elf back and forth through the water. He watched as the elf began to move his fingers and toes, he assumed as he always did that the pain of the arthritis was being lifted. Kreacher's eyes began to droop as he fell asleep. Harry knew that he could use a spell to put him to sleep, but Kreacher didn't like that. So, he did this instead. He could also have given him something to put him to sleep but it was hard for him to swallow anything but the flavored oatmeal and other things that Harry could make.

When he was asleep, Harry lifted him out of the water and walked slowly and carefully back up the stairs. The portrait let him pass without a word. It had screeched at him for quite a while until he threatened to burn the place down and leave the portrait on a wall until the ministry pulled it away. He wouldn't be having with anyone waking up Kreacher.

He placed Kreacher in the bed that he had made him with the softest blankets and pillows he could find. He then closed the door gently behind him, walked back downstairs and into the living room or sitting room. He couldn't tell which it was. Both seemed to serve the same function, so he didn't really care. His cell phone buzzed and he answered it.

"Hey, Hermione," he said.

"Hey, Harry, how's Kreacher?" Hermione asked him.

"Not great, I don't think that he has all that long."

He swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Would you like to come over even for a little bit? You've been away from everyone so long," Hermione said.

"No, if he needs anything I'd like to be right here," Harry said.

"Alright, you need anything you let us know."

"Thanks, talk to you later."

"'Night."

"'Night."

He hung up the phone and sat with his elbows on his knees and his chin on his closed hands. He worried that he had made a mistake. He had done his best to honor Kreacher's wishes. He had taken him to a doctor, he didn't want to use the word 'vet', when Kreacher began complaining about various pains and aches. The doctor had given a grim prognosis that Kreacher wouldn't see the end of the month. He seemed to be right so far. The doctor had told him that he could just use a spell and put Kreacher out of his misery. Harry told him that he had to discuss it with Kreacher and the doctor had questioned him about that. Harry then realized that Hermione might have had something with all her talk about SPEW. Kreacher had wanted to die at home. Harry would allow him to do so.

"I don't know why Harry cares so much," Ron said as he flipped through the channels on Hermione's TV.

Hermione who was laying across the arms of an armchair sighed and closed her book.

"Because he cares about Kreacher," Hermione said.

"I know that but he's taking this really hard. I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

"He's seen so much death before, why would this hit him so hard."

"Ron, during the war how many people did we see die?"

"A lot."

"How did they die?"

"Generally from killing curses and other spells. Violently."

"Did we ever have to just experience someone just dying slowly in front of us from old age?"

"No. Oh."

"He's never had to witness someone just wither away in front him."

"I never thought of that."

"Hm."

Ron turned off the TV and thought for a long time.

Harry woke up from where he had been asleep in front of the fire. It had sizzled out to only a few embers. He got up and took the long walk up the stairs. As he got to the second landing, he felt an icy chill around his heart. He already knew what he was going to find in Kreacher's bedroom. He looked out the window at London coming to life. Knowing that one had ended last night.

He opened the door and saw the little bundle in its bed. He walked over to him and the skin felt clammy and cold. He sat down and backed against the door. He let out a long breath. Everyone died. But not everyone got a warm bed and someone taking care of them for the weeks up until they passed. He comforted himself with that. He pulled out his cell phone and went through a number of his contacts and then sent the message. He knew that it was early but he had to do this now. He took the locket from amongst the blankets and put it around Kreacher's neck. He folded the elf's arms, wrapped him in the softer blankets and disapparated with a crack.

He looked around to see that Fleur and Bill had set up a shovel and small wooden box that could serve well as a coffin. Harry smiled before lining the box with the blankets and then placing Kreacher inside of it. He closed the box and started shoveling. By the time he was halfway done, there were several more cracks. He looked around to see his friends standing there for him. He nodded and then Ron and Neville started to dig as well.

Harry placed the box at the bottom of the hole and they began to throw shovelfuls of dirt back onto it. They padded the dirt down and Harry looked out over the ocean. He breathed in the salt air and thought about how even now he had no words for situations like this. He turned back to his friends, letting himself walk into their waiting, comforting arms. Maybe there didn't have to be words. Maybe there could just be people, waiting there to help you along. Just being with you.


End file.
